Must Be Dreaming
by Severusismine
Summary: It's the final fight, Hermione's life is in danger... or is it? HGSS PLEASE R
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer – I don't own any of the characters in this story… They belong to the brilliant mind of J.K Rowling. Man... I wish I was her…**

**A/N: Hey you slash happy people! This is my first Hermione/Severus fic and I hope you like it! Make sure to give me lots and lots of reviews so that I know what I'm doing wrong or doing right, PLEASE. Anyways enjoy it.**

Chapter 1

The final battle was being waged on the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the very place where everyone learned how to hone their tools of momentary destruction. Curses were flying in every direction and bodies were falling. At the moment it was Harry and Dumbledore versus Voldemort. Around them members of the school staff, ministry, the Order and student body were fighting Voldemort's league of Death Eaters.

Hermione was fighting back to back with Dean Thomas when she felt him drop to the ground she didn't have a chance to see of he was still alive , but deep down she knew the horrible truth, that her friends and classmates were dieing all around her. Malfoy junior and senior were coming straight for her and soon had her surrounded. She felt almost certain that she was going to die.

"Say goodbye, you filthy, fucking know it all Mudblood!" Draco spat at her and raised his wand to deliver the final curse and Hermione shut her eyes tightly.

"Avada Kedavra!" Draco collapsed to the ground, lifeless and Lucius spun around to confront his son's murderer.

"Snape, you fucking traitor! I'll kill you for murdering my only son!" Severus just stood there smirking at Lucius until a stray curse from a nearby fight almost hit Severus, but he had ducked in time. But Lucius saw his opportunity. "Cruc..." his curse was cut short because Hermione sent the curse Dolohov had used on her, in her fifth year, at him.

He fell to the ground next to his dead son, revealing Hermione behind him with her want raised and her face was filled with such rage that even Severus was intimidated. "You Mudblood bitch, once the Dark Lord has defeated your friend, you will wish for death and nobody will save you then! Not even your precious Potions Master." Lucius gasped out, "Oh, Severus should I tell her what you told me?"

Severus' eyes widened for a moment and he looked up at Hermione. "You might as well Lucius. You know I'm going to kill you anyways, if you want those to be your last words then go ahead, we're listening." Severus kept his voice even and face unreadable, but inside he was terrified at what Lucius was going to say.

He just laughed and looked at Hermione, "You know he lusts for you, your dear professor, that's all that's on his mind. When the Dark Lord enters his mind, that's all he sees. In fact, you were even promised as a slave to him for when we won the war." He chuckled painfully "that must be why he's defending you so hard, he wants to keep you alive so he can take you over and over."

"Lucius, I didn't know someone could be so stupid. I'm not defending her because I want her, because I'm a spy, you asshole! I haven't been a Death Eater for over 15 years." He spat in hatred. "Now it's time for you to say goodbye to any hope of living. I think I'll enjoy this, you see, I've hated you from the moment I met you. AVADA KEDAVRA!" there was the blinding green light and whooshing sound as the life was swept away from his body.

"Thank you, professor… you saved my life." Hermione said without taking her eyes off the lifeless father and son.

"I think we owe each other a thank you, you saved my life too Ms. Granger." They stood looking at each other, when suddenly a blue blinding flash and gust of wind that knocked everyone off their feet to the ground. Harry and Voldemort were locked in battle and everyone stopped to watch to see who would win. This was the deciding factor in this war.

"Harry!" Hermione screamed, "I have to help him!" she made to get up, but Severus pulled her back down to the ground.

"No! You can't, remember what Dumbledore said. Nobody can interfere!" Severus yelled over the noise and continued to clutch her arm. "There's nothing we can do but keep fighting the Death Eaters."

Hermione nodded in understanding. Severus rose to his feet and held out his hand to help her up. Together they charged a group of Death Eaters.

**A/N: Thanks for reading and just a reminder to send plenty of reviews!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: Hey hey hey! Omg, I'm surprised I found the time to do this! Also, it sucks so much to have writers block, then when an idea hits you, it's the most inconvenient time, and there's no paper so I was forced to write on my arm… lol People looked at me like I'm insane… (well, I am…) I had this chapter's and next chapter's plot written all up my arm, so when I've finished chapter 3, I get to do it all over again.

**Disclaimer: I sadly do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. So don't sue me.**

CHAPTER 2

The war went on for hours, but finally, Voldemort was the one to fall at the hands of Harry and Albus. When the Death Eaters saw their master succumb to death, they retreated quickly in fear of suffering the same fate.

The battlefield was full rejoicing voices; there were hugs and congratulations going around. Hermione stood alone looking at what everyone seemed to be ignoring for the moment. The bodies of the Order, the Ministry, and Death Eaters littered the ground and their blood soaked the earth. Many of the Death Eaters still had their hoods on, and Hermione knew that later they would be identified as Ministry workers, friends and family members people once thought they knew.

She looked down at her hands and saw that they were covered in drying blood and mud, but, to her own surprise she didn't care, the war was over and she never had to live in fear anymore. She would never have to live in hiding again.

Just then she felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to see Severus. He seemed to be smiling in a relieved way. "It's over…" he said it as though he couldn't believe it. Tears welled up in her eyes in happiness for him; he would never have to risk his life being a spy anymore. Now he could live his life the way he wanted.

Hermione was overcome in conflicting emotions and broke down crying, then flung herself into his arms hugging him tightly. She felt him tense up at the sudden contact but then she felt his arms hold her tightly, stroking her hair soothingly. Hermione couldn't tell how long they stood there for but she loved every moment of it. When they broke apart his eyes seemed to be glistening. She smiled up at him, "Thank you." She said quietly.

"For what, Ms. Granger?"

"You saved my life."

"You saved mine as well, I suppose I owe you a thank you as well."

Severus stood there looking at her, she looked absolutely filthy, her clothes were torn and covered in god knows what, she had cuts all over her body, and he couldn't see a spot of clean skin because it was all covered in the same substance that was on her clothes. Yet, at the same time he thought she looked the most attractive he had ever seen her before. She had grown physically, emotionally, and mentally in such a short period of time. He wished to get to know all three in the near future. A breeze blew in and Hermione shivered, Severus didn't feel it, but he was wearing more layers than her, she was just wearing jeans and a blue sweater, at least, he thought it was blue.

"Ms. Granger why don't we go inside so you can get cleaned up and changed. You'll catch a cold out here wearing that."

She nodded and followed him towards the castle. "Could you do me a favor?" she asked him.

"What is it?" he was curious about what she ha do ask him.

"Well, first of all, please stop calling me that. I'm not a student anymore and I haven't been for two years. You make it seem like I'm a first year all over again. Also, could you please slow down? How can you walk so fast, are you not exhausted?" she puffed as she jugged lightly to keep up.

"Of course, I'm sorry. It's all just habit, calling you that and walking so fast. I apologize if I've made you feel like a first year, I know that's a time nobody wants to relive." He said as he slowed his pace.

"Thank you. And you don't have to apologize, as you said its just habit." She replied. She couldn't get over the fact that he was apologizing and thanking her all in the same day.

He led them to the dungeons, where his living quarters were. He said the password and heard the locks click open; he opened the door and signaled for her to come in as well.

"Shouldn't we go to the hospital wing? You have some injuries that should be looked after." Hermione asked as she stepped into his rooms.

"No, these are mild injuries, nothing I haven't had before. Poppy will be swamped with patients that need more attention. I can take care of these myself, I can heal yours as well if you'd like." He just shrugged. Hermione had some nasty cuts on her body, one across her chest just above her breasts, two zigzagging along her right arm, one on her back just below her left shoulder blade, and scrapes on her knees, hands and face.

She just smiled and nodded.

"After I've healed you, you can use my shower, then call the house elves to get some clean closes for you."

"But what about you? You need to shower too. I really don't want to impose."

"Do not worry about it, I will simply go after you."

"Thank you so much for your hospitality, Professor." She hugged him again, and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek.

"Now I must ask you not to call me that, you said it before, I am no longer your professor. Please call me Severus." He said smiling slightly.

"Thank you Severus." She repeated, this time putting an emphasis on his name with a smile.

"Will you let me heal your cuts now that we've been properly introduced?" he said with amusement and sarcasm in his voice. He motioned for her to sit on the couch. As she did he realized that she would have to take off her shirt for him to heal properly. He wondered how he was going to tell her this without sounding like a letch.

"Um… You might have to, um…" he started, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot and waving at her shirt. She looked at him for a second and realized what he was saying, and laughed that he was uncomfortable. She removed her sweater, wincing slightly as the fabric was dragged over her wounds.

"I would have thought that it take much more than that to make you uneasy." She said laughing again, because he averted his eyes, looking at the ceiling.

"Well, it wouldn't do well to have you run screaming from my private quarters, ranting about what a nasty old pervert I am." He waved his wand at the cut on her chest and it started healing, he did the same for the cuts on her arm as she continued to laugh at him. He told her to lay face down on the couch so he could heal the one on her back. When she did he could see that this one needed a disinfecting ointment before he healed it.

"I'll be right back. I must get something from my lab."

She mumbled something into the cushions that he took as an acknowledgment. She heard a door open and close and the room was silent. Hermione never thought she would feel so relaxed in the feared Potion Master's presence. But the more she thought about it, she knew there was nothing to fear about him. All he did was put her at ease. The door opened again and there were footsteps, she wasn't prepared for the feeling of the cold ointment on her bare back. She gasped and tried to sit up but he pushed her down. He rubbed it in and she almost melted into the couch. She continued to mumble something happily into the cushions and she heard him chuckle, she wished she could see his face. He was so good with his hands. Before she knew it, it was over. She sighed and sat up. Her back tingled from a combination of his touch and the ointment.

"The bathroom is through the bedroom." He pointed to another door. She nodded and went into the room, when she entered, she stopped. The walls were a dark green and the bed and dressers were made from a dark wood, with black leather plush chairs by the fireplace. There were artworks hanging on the walls and it brought the whole room together. She looked at the chairs and over the arm of one, there was a open book waiting for him.

"Severus, you could be an interior designer. Could you do my apartment?" she called from the bedroom. She heard him laugh.

"I'm afraid it's taken me years to make it look like this," He smiled and walked over to the chair, where he picked up the book and closed it, he placed it on the table beside it. "in fact I had always been to busy to actually sit and enjoy it." There was a pained look that crossed his features, but he shook his head and continued to smile. "So, what about your shower, he went to the bathroom door and held it open for her.

Hermione was about to walk by, but she stopped and looked at him, smiling warmly. "Well, now you have all the time you want." She said softly.

He smiled back. "Enjoy your shower." He turned and closed the door behind him.

**A/N:** There you have it, hope you enjoyed it… If it entices you to read the next chapters, you might like to know there's a lemon coming soon! **Please review, I need feedback!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Sorry for taking so long to update!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything from the Harry Potter Series…unfortunately… Because I would be sooo filthy, stinkin' rich, and not be writing this fanfic!

Chapter 3

Hermione was shocked yet again by the bathroom. It wasn't fair! How could a man who wasn't gay be so good at decorating? She thought about Dumbledore's flair for design, but, then again, he's always so happy, preaching about love and happiness. She shook her head and suppressed a shudder, "whatever…" she muttered, she'd rather not think about it. She took off her remaining clothing and stepped into the large marble tiled shower.

Severus sat by the fireplace in his bedroom, listening to the shower running. There was a young woman in his shower that wasn't there by force. She actually went willingly with him, and so far, had accepted his advances. He had been attracted to her since she had left the school to go out into the real world. He noticed her changing right away during the summer after she and the rest of the Golden Trio had left. She matured even more in, not only intelligence and behavior, but physically as well. He confessed his attraction to Albus, because of the guilt he felt in his crush on a much younger, ex-student. Albus assured him that it was completely all right, natural and understandable for a man to be attracted to such an intelligent, beautiful young woman, who was of legal age (of course). At the time, Severus had just looked at him and blinked, Albus seemed to think that he was some pubescent teenager that needed 'the talk'. But that intelligent, beautiful young woman was in his shower right now and he was in a different room, listening to her humming happily as the water and dirt washed it's way down her…. Oh gods…

Hermione felt like she hadn't taken a shower in months, she watched in horror as all the disgusting grime that covered her body go down the drain. She shuddered because she had never been that dirty before in her life, even when one of Neville's particularly thick and sticky potions exploded right next to her own cauldron during their final N.E.W.Ts examination.

She almost laughed aloud when she remembered the horrified look on her professor's face when he walked into his classroom after the exam was over. She also remembered the pursing of his lips as he waited for the door to close behind him. Following the click of the closed door they heard the cursing and the banging barely muffled by the thick wooden door. Neville had whimpered and cowered behind Harry. After the incident he was never able to look the Potions Master properly in the face without weeping his apologies.

When she finally felt clean again, she turned off the shower and stepped out.

From the fireplace, he heard the shower shut off and he knew it was a matter of time before she would be joining him in the chair opposite to him. This made him grow nervous, he didn't know if he should tell her of his feelings for her, and if he did, Severus didn't know what Hermione's reaction would be. He knew it was next to impossible for to have the same feelings or for her to understand how special she was to him. He had been unable to escape these feelings since she was in her seventh year, which was the year the war really blew up. It was a trust no one situation, and nobody seemed to be able to trust Severus, but she stood up to her best friends and the rest of the Order, alongside Dumbledore, defending his honor. He rolled his eyes at the thought of his honor. He thought to himself, _what honor?_ His frustration in himself mounted and he about to scold himself to get over it and to stop being such a second year Hufflepuff about it when he heard the sound of the bathroom door opening. He turned around to see Hermione standing in the doorway looking uncertain about what to do or say.

He pointed to the chair across from him, "Please, sit. We have much to talk about." As she walked closer he could see the slight flush from the hot water in the shower mixed with slight embarrassment. She looked unsure of herself. _She probably doesn't want to be here_, he thought sadly.

She walked across the room to where Severus was sitting, as she approached, she noticed a sad look cross his face. He looked troubled and saddened by his thoughts. Instead of sitting in the chair across from Severus, she stood before him. He looked up at her in confusion, he opened his mouth to say something, but she bent down and hugged him tightly. "Thank you." She whispered, not letting go. She felt him tense under her, just as she expected, but was surprised to feel his arms go around her body and pull her down so that she was sitting right in his lap.

He buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent, he didn't know if he would ever get to do this again so he reveled the moment. "Why are you thanking me?" he whispered hoarsely. He could hardly believe this was happening, he wished that the moment never ended, or that he would have more opportunities in the future to have more intimate moments, with the woman he fell in love with.

"I've learned so much from you, you've taught me so much. And you saved my life tonight. Thank you… Severus." She smiled at how easy it was to use his proper name. She was beginning to like the idea of calling him this often.

Severus broke the hug to look in her eyes, they were warm and calming and he felt himself getting lost in them. He brought a hand up to stroke the side of her face. She smiles and tilted her head so that she was leaning into his touch. "Hermione… You have no idea how long I've wanted to touch you this way. I know you probably think I'm being lecherous and that I'm taking advantage of the situation, but…" he hesitated, "I've had feelings that I cannot explain for awhile now… I want to be with you, Hermione." He dropped his hand from her face and expected to feel the absence of her on his lap. He felt like a moron, just blurting out his love for her. _Say good-bye, Severus, old man, because you're never going to see her again. She'll never want to see your pathetic face again_. Instead she brushed his hair from his eyes and titled his head so that he was looking at her.

"Severus, you're so sweet." She said softly and leaned in and brushed her lips against his.

Feeling her lips on his awoke something in him. He grabbed her face and kissed her deeply, responding to her moans, his hand moved down her cheeks to trace her jaw, then moved down to the side of her neck. They parted, panting from the intensity of the moment. They sat in each other's arms looking at each other, when a faint "pop!" came from the fireplace.

"Ah! There you two are!" Dumbledore's head lay in the fireplace, he wore his trademark twinkling and all knowing grin of his. "Unfortunately, there is still business to attend to about this war. I'm dreadfully sorry to interrupt the two of you and your little, ah… celebration, to ask you both to come to my office right away." With a wink and a "pop!" he was gone from the fireplace.

They both sighed. "I should have seen that coming." giggled Hermione, "That man always knows when to interrupt a moment." She stood from his lap and pulled him up with her. They moved to the fireplace, where Severus threw in a handful of Floo powder. Before they were sent zooming through the castle, Severus pulled her close and held her tightly around the waist.

Stepping out with his hand still around her waist, he looked up to see the eyes of most of the Weasleys, Potter, Lupin, Tonks and all the portraits all looking with shocked looks on their faces. The first to speak up was Tonks.

"And you thought Remus and I were so scandalous?" Tonks looked at her husband, who just shook his head in amusement.

"Hermione, he's the mystery man you've swooning over for past couple years?" Ron blurted out only to have his foot stomped on by Harry's who just smiled. He felt happy for his best friend.

"Yes, yes, we're all happy for the new couple, but we have many details that must be examined tonight for the ministry! Officials will be arriving soon to take everyone's statements for the ministry's archives." Dumbledore quieted the group down, "Also, there's reporters who want to speak to the 'Golden Trio' and the 'Double Agent'. I'm afraid that would be you Severus." The headmaster knew how much his Potions Master hated the press.

Severus just nodded grimly and looked to Hermione to see her reaction to the attention. She just smiled and squeezed his hand. Severus sighed; he just knew that the news of their relationship was going to make the front cover right under the headline of their victorious battle. He pictured the headline: _You Know Who finally defeated by The Boy Who Lived and Hogwarts' Potions Master is in Love!_ The funny thing that got Severus was that he didn't mind it being announced to the entire wizarding world.

A/N: It doesn't stop there! Heehee. I'm sorry to the people that are enjoying this fanfic that it took so long or me to write and I don't really have that much of an excuse, except laziness and horrible time management. Lol. Thanks for reading and I hope you people keep reading the rest of the story (when I get around to finishing it…) and PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!


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